New industry guidelines aim to protect mobile payments

Mobile payment systems are becoming increasingly popular

The mobile phone industry has published new government-backed guidelines aimed at tightening the security of mobile payments.

Mobile payments made via contactless technologies are gaining in momentum. Barclays is known to be trialling related services, and mobile giant Nokia announced plans for a new financial service this week.

The new guidelines include disabling the device and any installed financial applications as soon as a phone equipped with payments technology is reported lost or stolen, and requiring PIN verification for transactions over £10.

"Members of the mobile phone industry have worked alongside our colleagues in the banking industry to produce these guidelines to ensure that the customer experience in using the converged technology of near field communications and financial applications on mobile devices is as secure and robust as it can be," said Jack Wraith, chief executive of the Mobile Industry Crime Action Forum.

"We have also given the commitment to encourage customers to register their devices on national property registers, such as Immobilise, where the details that are entered would be made available to the police in the event of a theft or loss of the mobile device."

Wraith added that a "standing group of experts" has been established to continually monitor mobile payments technology and recommend further action on security as and when required.

Home Office minister Alan Campbell said that government and industry "must continue to work together to reduce any new opportunities for criminals to profit from mobile theft".

"As new technologies like this develop we aim to consider where safeguards can be incorporated at the drawing board stage," he added.